Combined type-writing and computing machine.



EI THOMAS.

COMBINED TYPE WRITING AND COMPUTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE IZ, I914.

Patented Mar. 11,1919.

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COMBINED TYPE WRITING AND COMPUTING MACHINE.

APPLlCATION FILED JUNE I2. I914.

Patented Mar. 11, 1919.

3 SHEETSSHEET 2 1M. ,ENT m ATTONEY.

E. THOMAS.

COMBINED TYPE WRHING AND COMPUTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 2. 1 914.

w m @E R W? W a Z N WwE mm. m 1 3m x STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD THOMES, OF NEW' YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO'

UNDERWOOD GOMPUTINGMACHINE COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, vN. Y., A GORPOR'A-TION OF NEW YORK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

PatentedMar. 11, 1919 Application filed-June 12, 1914. Serial No.844,834.

To all-whom it may concern:

Be it known that I EDWARD THOMAS, a citizen of the United States,residin in New York city, in the county of New ork and State of NewYork, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in CombinedType-Vvriting and Computing Machines, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to computing machines, and is herein shown asapplied to a combined typewriting and computing machine of the UnderwoodI-lanson type, in which the numeral keys of the typewriter set upnumbers or digits temporarily in computation members, and the numbersthus set up are later carried into a gang of computing wheels.

In such machines it is of great advantage to have the typewritingmechanism operate with as little interference from the computingmechanism as possible. This in effect gives the machine a wider range ofwork, by rendering the operationof the machine for many purposes lesstiring to the typist, and therefore indirectly reduces the probabilityof error in doing work.

Such combined typewriting machines as are described above, in commonwith others of variouskinds, are usually provided with means forpreventing the simultaneous depression of two numeral keysof thetypewriter; this provision being advantageous because it insures thatthe proper digit shall be completely inserted in the right computationmember. One of the reasons why such a provision is emphaticallynecessary in a combined typewriting and computing machine, is due tothefact that the typewriter carriage may not travel fast enough to selectthe proper computation member, thereby possibly causing the selecteddigit to be set up in the wrong computation member. That such a resultispossible, willbe obvious to anyone who is a close'observer oftypewritten matter. time to time, it'will be noted that two letterspartially overlap, this being due to the fact that one letter wasprinted before the typewriter carriage has finished its feedingafter theprinting of the other letter.

If such condition is possible inprinting,

In such matter, from p it is obvious'that in many types of computbers.By preventing the'depression of one numeral key until any: previouslydepressed key has completely returned, thispossibility of overlapping isavoided, because thetime taken .to return the key gives the carriageample time to feed and select the next computation member.

'A typist in ordinary typewriter work, however, frequently depresses asecond key before the first depressed key has completely returned, andsometimesa rapidtypist will have a-third key somewhat depressed by thetime a second operated key has just printed, and before a first operatedkey has actually returned to its normal position. would be unable tohave more than one key thus depressed in amachine provided with theusual key-preventing dogs, and" thus the efficiency of working themachine is somewhat reduced. This reduced efliciency is aggravated bythe fact that the t ypi'st is conscious that the speed must be cut downto avoid interference with such dogs.

The Underwood-Hanson combined typewriting and computing machine isusually provided with such key-preventing dogs for preventing thesimultaneous depression of two numeral keys. According to my invention,said dogs may be normally free to swing far enough to allow thedepression of two, three or even more keys simultaneously if desired. Inthe adding zone however, according to my invention, devices areautomatically brought into play which limit the throw of said dogs, withthe result that only a single numeral key can be de pressed at a giventime.

Other features and advantages will hereinafter appear.

In the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 is a sectional side view of an Underwood-Hanson combinedtypewriting and computingmachine, showing my invention as appliedthereto.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of a guide plate forming part of the same.

A typist Fig. 3 is a perspective view taken from the rear, showing myinvention together with a few cooperating parts.

Fig. 4 is a front view of part of Fig. 3, showing a key depressed andthereby locking the preventing dogs together.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4, but showing a key locked againstdepression by the comma lock.

Fig. 6 is a sectional side view of some of the connections between thecomputation member selecting devices, and the dogs forming part of myinvention.

. Fig. 7 is a view of the same when the dogs and comma lock are ineffective position, and

Fig. 8 is a rear view of the computation member selecting devices.

,In the usual Underwood-Hanson combined typewriting and computingmachine, numeral keys 1 and alphabet keys 2 depress key levers 3 tocause bell cranks 4 to swing type-bars 5 upwardly and rearwardly toprint on a work sheet on the platen 6, said platen forming part of atraveling carriage 7. As each type-bar approaches the platen, by meansof a heel 8, it operates a universal bar 9 to cause the usualletter-feeding dogs 10 and 11 to feed the carriage, said carriage beingconstantly under the tension of the usual spring barrel 12. The dogs 10and 11 control the carriage in the usual manner by an escampment wheel13 connected to a pinion 14, said pinion meshing with a rack 15,connected to said carriage. The typewriting machine preferably includesthe usual platen shifting devices, and other connections not shown inthepresent broad disclosure of my invention. Some of these devices areshown in the applications of Frederick A. Hart, Serial No. 466,836,

filed December 10, 1908, (now Patent No. 1,270,411, dated June 25, 1918)and Osmond V5 Olmsted, Serial No. 691,828, filed April 19, 1912, (nowPatent No. 1,224,314, dated May 1, 1917) and include connections formaking the denomination selecting dog ineffective.

The typwriter carriage 7 may be positioned by the usual tabulating keys16 op erating counter-stops 17. By connections not material to thepresent invention, the carriage is released in the ordinary manner bysaid tabulating keys, and is arrested at any desired column by a columnstop 18.

' This column stop is utilized in the manner pins 20, which, when thecomputation members are in effective position, are adapted to be set upby pin-setting bars 21, operated by the usual connections from thenumeral keys 1, with the result, that as the numeral keys are operated,various pins 20 are depressed to represent the digits printed by thenumeral keys.

There are a series of the computing members 19, there being one for eachdecimal place in which a digit is to be written, and after all thedigits forming the number have been written, the digits are carried intothe usual computing wheels 22 by the computation members 19.

For this purpose, the mechanism is provided with the usual generaloperator including a handle 23, which handle when pulled forward throughthe usual connections not material to the present invention, drawsforward a cross bar 24, said cross bar engaging the lower ends of anydepressed pins 20, thereby driving the computation members 19, each toan extent depending on the location of the depressed pins. As thecomputation members move forward, the racks 25 on the forward endsthereof, turn the computing wheels 22 by pinions 26. The computingmechanism is returned to its normal position to set up the next numberby the usual means not shown herein.

For selecting the proper computation members, the column stop 18 isprovided with a. denomination selecting dog 27, which, as the typewritercarriage feeds along, engages, one after another, a series of verticaldenomination selecting rods 28, said rods being so arranged that at eachletter-space of the carriage, the dogs 27 depresses one of said rods andthereby rocks its bell crank 28 at the lower end of its rod, thus movingforward to a small extent the computation member 19 which bears againstthe lower end of said bell crank.

Then the computation member is thus moved forward, its pins 20 all standunder the pin-setting linkages 21, with the result that when any numeralkey is depressed, the pendant 29 of that numeral key will descend andstrike an elbow 30 on its rock shaft 31, so that said rock shaft willthrust down the pin-setting linkage 21 which is connected thereto.Suitable connections for doing this are disclosed in the patent toHanson 1 0. 905,421, and in the aforesaid application No. 691,828.

As best seen in Fig. 8, the vertical rods 28 are so shaped that theyform a transposing device, with the result that when the typewritercarriage, in moving along, striker-s the right-hand one of said rods, itmoves forwardly the left-hand computation bar 19. The next to theright-hand rod moves the next to the left-hand computation bar, as isillustrated in Fig. 8, and so on for the other bars and rods.

In said Underwood-Hanson combined typewriting and computing machine,there is usually provided a series of key-preventing dogs for preventingthe simultaneous depression of two keys. Said dogs are shown in theco-pending application of Frederick A. Hart, No. 466,836, filed December10, 1908. The structure for making these dogs effective includes asecond set of pendants 32, of which there is one attached to eachnumeral key, said pendants each descending between two pendent dogs 33,said dogs all being pivoted on the front plate 34 of the casing whichsupports the rock shafts 31. These dogs have a limited throw, said throwbeing limited by stops 35 in the plate 34, and the relation of the sizeof the dogs and stopsis such that (when certain other dogs 36 are intheir effective position) said pendent dogs have between the whole arrayof them, an amount of lost motion just sufficient to allow one of thependents 32 to descend, such a pendant being shown in this position inFig. 4. These dogs, then, when the connections are positioned as in Fig.4, prevent the simultaneous depression of any two keys.

According to my invention, the pendant dogs are ineffective to preventthe simultaneous depression of two keys except when I the denominationdog is effective, and never except in the computing zone. To bring aboutthis result, the device is provided, as stated above, with two fixed endstops 35. Said end stops, however, are placed at such a distance fromthe adjacent pendant dogs 32 to allow enough lost motion among said dogsto permit several keys to be simultaneously depressed. In the addingzone, however, auxiliary dogs 36 are moved into position to take up partof this lost motion, and said auxiliary dogs are of such a width, thatwhen they are in their effective position, only one key can be depressedat any given time, this condition of affairs being shown in Fig. 4.

These auxiliary dogs 36, as best seen in Fig. 3, are formed aspart ofthe sleeves 38, journaled on a rock shaft 37, said shaft forming part ofa comma locking device hereinafter described. These sleeves areconnected together by a tie-rod 39, said rod comprising an arm 40, bywhichthe sleeves and arms are operated, and this arm is controlled fromthe denomination selecting rods 28.

The connections for doing this, include a link 41 which extendsrearwardly from the arm 40 and is pivoted to an arm 42 fast on a rockshaft 43, which rock shaft is operated by the denomination selectingbars 28 by means of a universal bar 44 fast on said rock shaft, saiduniversal bar extending across the front faces of all the bell-cranklevers 28". When therefore, any denomination selecting rod 28 isdepressed to swing the depending arm of its bell-crank lever 28 toselect a computation member 19, it at the same time, will rock theuniversal bar 44, thereby swinging the arms 36 to the effective positionseen in Figs. 4 and 5, thus permitting the pendant dogs 32 onlysufficient throw to allow one key to be. depressed at a time. Outside ofthe computing zone, the arms 36 are drawn to ineffective position by aspring 57, thus allowing several numeral keys 1 to be simultaneouslydepressed. The result is that, out of the computing zone, the numeralkeys can be operated with any desired degree of rapidity.

Owing to the fact that if three adjacent numeral keys are depressed atthe same time, the pendants 32, or two of them might be thrown somewhatto one side by the collision of the intervening pendant dogs 33, saidpendants 32 may be attached with a slight degree of looseness to thenumeral keys 9. The guide plate 45, which has slots to guide thepin-setting pendants 29 and the pendants 32, is provided with somewhatenlarged openings 45 for the pendants 32, so as to permit any slightnecessary swinging thereof.

The Underwood-Hanson machine as de scribed above, also usually includesa comma-lock for preventing the depression of a numeral key at apunctuation point in the type of machine disclosed herein. Said commalock comprises a dog 47 which is normally held in ineffective positionby means of a spring 48, but which at any punctuation point in thecomputing zone, is raised to effective position (see F ig. 5), where itcloses up the spaces between the pendant dogs 33, and prevents thedepression of any numeral key.

This comma-locking dog is operated by the denomination selecting rods28, certain of said rods being connected to operate said dog. For thispurpose, the rods 28, which are to make the comma-locking effective,operate bell cranks 49 which have dependent arms 50 somewhat shorterthan the pendant arms of the bell cranks 28 Each of these pendant arms50 has a forwardly extending lug 51 thereon, which, when thedenomination-selecting bar 28 is depressed, is moved forward to strike auniversal bar 52 extending across the fronts of the pendent arms of thebell crank levers 28 and 49. Said universal bar 52 is beyond the rangeof movement of the levers 28*, but is operated by the lugs 51 of any ofthe levers 49. When this universal bar is rocked forward, it swingsaround its shaft 53 to cause an up standing arm 54 to pull rearwardly alink 55, and said link, when thus pulled rearwardly, rocks the shaft 37on which the con'nna-locking dog 47 is mounted, by means of a rock arm56, with the result that the connna-locking dog 47 holds all the numeralkeys against depression through the pendant dogs 32.

Since the universal bar 44 of the auxiliary dogs 36 is in position to beoperated whenever any one of the bars 28 is depressed, it will be seenthat the auxiliary dogs 36 are always effective whenever thecomma-locking dog 47 is effective. Said auxiliary dogs are, however,normally held in ineffective position out of the computing zone by aspring 57, which draws on the link 39.

While I have described only two auxiliary arms 36, extra arms can beinserted at other points as may prove necessary in some types ofmachines, but in such cases, it will be usually found necessary to makesaid additional auxiliary arms 36 limber, or mounted to swing, to allowthe lost motion between the key-preventing dogs to be properlydistributed.

Variations may be resorted to within the scope of the invention, andportions of the improvements may be used without others.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a computing machine including numeral keys and a travelingcarriage, the combination with dogs, of keys adapted to engage said dogswhenever depressed, means associated with said dogs for blocking them toprevent simultaneous depression of the keys, while leaving each key freefor opera-- tion singly, and means dependent on the travel of saidcarriage, for determining whether said blocking means shall be effective or not.

'2. In a combined typewriting and computing machine, the combinationwith printing keys and computing devices associated therewith, ofblocking devices for said keys, means for making said blocking deviceseffective at times, and ineffective at others, and a comma lockeffective through said blocking devices and said means and adaptedthereby to be effective at such times as the blocking devices areeffective.

3. In a computing machine, the combination with numeral keys andpreventing dogs for said keys, of normally ineffective means forlimiting the throw of said dogs, a traveling carriage for determining inwhat column computing is to be done, and means operated by the carriageto make the means for limiting said dogs effective to preventsimultaneous depression of said keys, while leaving each key free foroperation singly.

4. In a computing machine, the combination with numeral keys and dogsfor block ing the action of said keys, of fixed stops normallyineffective to limit the throw of said dogs, a traveling carriage fordetermining Where computing is to be done, and means moved by saidcarriage to cooperate with said fixed stops to limit the throw of saiddogs to block the simultaneous depression of said keys, while leavingeach key free for operation singly.

5. In a combined typewriting and computing machine, the combination withnumeral keys and pendants on said keys, of dogs cooperating with saidpendants to revent the simultaneous operation of said keys, whileleaving each key free for operation singly, a traveling carriage, andmeans under the control of said carriage for determining when said dogsshall swing freely and when they shall be effective as blocking means.

6. In a combined typewriting and computing machine, the combination withnumeral keys and a traveling carriage, of denomination members moved bysaid carriage freely swinging dogs for preventing the simultaneousdepression of two keys while leaving each key free for operation singly,a universal bar operated by said denomination members, and devicesforlimiting the throw of said dogs under the control of said universalbar.

7. In a combined typewriting and computing machine, the combination withnumeral keys and a traveling carriage, of denomination members moved bysaid carriage, freely swinging dogs for preventing the simultaneousdepression of two keys, a universal bar operated by said denominationmembers, devices for limiting the throw of said dogs under the controlof said universal bar, a second universal bar operated by certain ofsaid denomination members, and a comma lock operated by said seconduniversal bar and efiective through said swinging dogs.

8. In a computing machine, the combination with a comma lock comprisinga shaft and a locking lug connected to said shaft, of key-locking dogsnormally ineffective, and sleeves on said shaft having lugs thereon formaking said dogs effective independently of said comma lock.

9. In a combined typewriting and computing machine, the combination withnumeral keys and a traveling carriage, of a series of pendant pivoteddogs always cooperating with said keys, and means moved by said carriageat a definite point in its travel to limit the throw of said dogs tocause said dogs to block the simultaneous depression of said keys, whileleaving each key free for operation singly.

10. In a combined typewriting and computing machine, the combinationwith numeral keys and a traveling carriage, of'a series of swinging dogsspaced to provide a limited amount of total lost motion, membersconnected to said keys to take up part of said lost motion, and aconnection from said carriage adapted to take up sufficient of said lostmotion to prevent the depression of one key when another key isdepressed.

11. In a combined typewriting and con1- pu-ting machine, the combinationwith numeral keys and a traveling carriage, of keylocking dogs adaptedto be swung idly by said keys, and means controlled by said carriage todetermine Whether said dogs shall operate idly or effectively, toprevent simul taneous depression of two keys, wvhile leaving each keyfree for operation singly.

12. In a combined typewriting and computing machine, the combinationwith numeral keys and a traveling carriage, of keystroke-preventing dogsadapted to beiswung idly by said keys, means controlled by said carriageto determine whether said dogs shall operate idly or effectively, and acomma look also operative through said dogs controlled by said carriage.

13. In a computing machine, the combination with a traveling carriageand a series of denominational members, of keys, normally ineffectivedogs for preventing the simultaneous operation of two keys, whileleaving each key free for operation singly, and a bar universal to saiddenominational members for making said dogs effective.

14. In a computing machine, the combination with a traveling carriageand a series of denominational members, of keys, normally ineffectivedogs for preventing the simultaneous operation of two keys, whileleaving each key free for operation singly, a bar universal to all ofsaid denominational members for making said dogs effective, a comma lockto cooperate with said dogs for preventing the operation of any of saidkeys, and a separate bar for said comma lock operated by only a portionof said denominational members.

15. In a computing machine, the combination with numeral keys and dogsfor preventing their simultaneous operation, of a device whereby saiddogs may be made effective, a spring normally holding said deviceineffective, a comma look also cooperating with said dogs, and aseparate spring holding said comma lock ineffective.

16. In a computing machine, the combina tion with numeral keys and dogsfor preventing their simultaneous operation, of a device whereby saiddogs may be made effective, a spring normally holding said deviceineflective, a comma lockalso cooperating with said dogs, a separatespring holding said comma lock ineffective, a traveling carriage, aseries of denominational members under the control of said carriage, anda universal bar operable by said denominational members and controllingthe device whereby the dogs are made effective or ineffective.

l7.- In a computingv machine, the combina-' tion with numeral keys andnormally ineffective dogs for preventing their simultaneous operation,of a device whereby said dogs may be made effective, a spring normallyholding said device ineffective, a comma lock also cooperating with saiddogs, a separate spring holding said comma lock ineffective,denominational members, a bar universal to said denominational memberscontrolling the device for making the dogs effective or ineffective, anda bar universal to certain of said members only for controlling saidcomma lock.

18. In a combined typewriting and computing machine, the combinationwith a traveling carriage and a series of denominational members, ofprinting alphabet and numeral keys, normally inefi'ective dogs forpreventing the simultaneous operation of numeral keys only while leavingeach key free for operation singly, numeral-key-set devices associatedwith said members, and a bar universal to said denominational membersfor making said dogs effective.

19. In a combined typewriting and computing machine, the combinationwith a traveling carriage and a series of denominational members, ofprinting alphabet and numeral keys, normally ineffective dogs forpreventing the simultaneous operation of numeral keys only, whileleaving each key free for operation singly, numeral-key-set devicesassociated with said members, a bar universal to said denominationalmembers for making said dogs effective, a comma lock to cooperate withsaid dogs for preventing the operation of any of said numeral keys, anda separate bar for said comma lock on which only a portion of saiddenominational members are effective.

20. In a computing machine, the combination with numeral keys and dogsfor pre venting their simultaneous operation, of a device whereby saiddogs may be made effective, a spring normally holding said deviceineffective, a comma lock also cooperating with said dogs, a separatespring holding said comma lock ineffective, and a traveling carriage formaking said device and lock effective.

21. In a computing machine, the combination with numeral keys andnormally ineffective locking dogs for preventing their simultaneousoperation, of pendants always connected to said keys and engaging saiddogs at key depressions, a device whereby said dogs may be madeeffective to lock the keys. a spring normally holding said de viceineffective, a traveling carriage for making said device effective, aseries of denominational members under the control of said carriage, auniversal bar operable by said denominational members and controllingthe device whereby the dogs are made effective or ineffective, guidingdevices for the keys as they are depressed, and. guiding devices forsaid pendants permitting lateral movement of said pendants, to permitsimultaneous depression of keys when the locking device is inefi'ective.

22. In a computing machine, the combination with numeral keys andlocking dogs "for preventing their simultaneous operation, of pendantsalways connected to said keys and engaging said dogs at key depressions,a device whereby said dogs may be made effective to lock the keys, aspring normally holding said device ineffective, denominational members,a bar universal to said denominational members controlling the devicefor making the dogs effective or ineflective, a )in bar for eachdenominational member, key-set pins on each bar, pin-setting pendantsconnected to said keys, guiding means for said setting pendants, andguiding means for said first pendants permitting lateral movementsthereof, to permit simultaneous depression of keys when the lockingdevice is inefiective.

EDWARD THOMAS. Witnesses W. O. WESTPHAL, JULIUS DUCKSTINE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). G.

